


Passing the Torch

by Kajune



Category: Fate/stay night & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fifth Holy Grail War, Gen, What-If
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-27
Updated: 2018-07-19
Packaged: 2019-05-29 09:33:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15070292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kajune/pseuds/Kajune
Summary: What if Rin had summoned Gilgamesh?





	1. Chapter 1

As the smoke cleared and the Servant she had summoned became visible to her, Rin first noticed the piercing red eyes. This Servant looked at her with complete indifference and stood, armed crossed, with the air of royalty. He was clad in golden armor that matched his golden hair, and as beautiful as he was, the way he stared at her was unnerving.

 

Rin had wanted the Saber class and believed this is what her father had left her. The strongest class and the one with the highest chance of victory, but Rin felt her hopes had been dashed. Something about this Servant gave the impression that weilding swords - a key component of Sabers - was not something he did.

Still, he was her Servant and a gift from Rin's father. Rin stood up and dusted herself. She tried to match the confidence in his stance but his eyes made it almost impossible. Rin believed she was doing well faking it, at least.

 

"You are my Servant, correct?"

 

Rin believed it was important to get this part cleared up. He was obviously hers because he was standing in the summoning circle she had just used, and he knew this too, because his first response was a snort.

 

"That is the first thing you say to me, mongrel? Try harder."

 

Mongrel? Rin was becoming livid by that insult. Who gave this guy the right to insult his own Master? Rin realized then that she needed to ensure his obediance next.

 

"Don't you dare insult me. I am your Master and you must obey me!"

 

Rin's voice rose but the Servant remained completely unfazed. He did, however, choose not to protest and gave her a shrug instead. Rin didn't think this was a victory because in the back of her mind she felt his opinion of her had gone down drastically.

 

* * *

 

Rin spent the entire time leaving the basement and entering the living room to discuss with her Servant the importance of their team work. It was unpleasant that she did not have his approval right off the bat, but Rin was determined to earn the respect she felt she deserved.

 

She also couldn't stop feeling like she was forgotting something.

 

Unfortunately, her Servant spent that same time correcting every other thing she said and repeatedly called her a mongrel. Rin retaliated by using a Command Seal on him knowing he could not resist its effects. To her embarrassment, he laughed at her "lousy" attempt to control him using such a vague command and wasting what he had already told her was a very valuable magical device.

 

She had three Command Seals, and due to her anger, she only had two now.

 

This led to their gathering in the living room to feature Rin sulking on one couch and her Servant sitting on another couch with the same complete disinterest in her that he had when first summoned.

 

So much for trying to earn his respect.

 

The two sat in silence for quite some time, the sound of the nearby clock filling the atmosphere.

 

Her Servant eventually spoke up.

 

"It seems you did not waste your Command Seal earlier."

 

Rin raised her chin from her knees to look at her Servant, who was not looking back at her.

 

"What do you mean?"

 

He seemed reluctant to admit to something.

 

"I feel your words now carry a powerful compulsion for me," A fact he wasn't happy about, apparently, judging by his tone. "You are indeed a powerful mage."

 

Rin felt he was praising her and couldn't help but blush a little. Then a thought struck and she sat up straight, her embarrassment now completely gone.

 

"Does that mean you will stop calling me a "mongrel" if I tell you to?"

 

The hopefulness in Rin's voice was not lost on either of them and it made the Servant cringe slightly. He clearly did not consider other people worthy of his respect, even the very person who summoned him. Rin was aware he was being anchored to this world through her mana, as he had reminded her, and the two had formed a contract.

 

Those two things alone should have made him bow in apology for his insistent name-calling, but no.

 

The golden-haired Servant sighed before he turned his eyes on her, the gaze somewhat softer than before.

 

"I would, if I had your name."

 

 _That_ was what Rin was forgetting.

 

Neither of them had properly introduced themselves. Rin was so caught up in other matters she didn't bother to ask the Servant's name or give him hers. She hadn't even bothered to ask what class he was, either.

 

According to Kotomine Kirei, the overseer of the current Grail War, there were only two classes left: Saber and Archer.

 

Rin had wanted a Saber, but the chances of that were slim, judging by the clock that told her, quite clearly, that she did not summon at 2 AM, but 1 AM. She was lucky not to have groaned out loud in indignition.

 

"My name is Tohsaka Rin," She introduced herself.

 

The Servant's expression became unreadable, but he returned the courtesy.

 

"I am Gilgamesh, King of Uruk."

 

If Rin had been drinking tea at that time, she knew she would have choked.

 

_Gilgamesh?_

 

Rin knew from research and Kotomine that Gilgamesh was the oldest legend in the world and that made him one of the most powerful Servants. Rin felt her heart swell with gratitude towards her father for leaving her the catalyst for such a powerful Servant and a great chance at victory.

 

It didn't even matter what class he was either, Rin thought.

 

She still asked him, though.

 

"I'm an Archer."

 

Gilgamesh watched as his Master doubled over in annoyance. He likely knew without asking that Rin did not have a high opinion of Archers. Little did he know that Rin did have a high opinion of his strength, regardless.

 

She had just really wanted a Saber.

 


	2. Chapter 2

Rin had wanted to discuss strategies with Gilgamesh to boost the chances of her victory, but her eyelids were threatening to close on their own if she didn’t retire to bed soon. She casually informed her Servant to occupy himself for a couple of hours and almost begged him not to leave the premises, the thought of other Masters catching a glimpse of her trump card made her uneasy.

What if someone better than her offered to take Gilgamesh in? What then?

Gilgamesh sent Rin a glare and assured her that he would not go “wandering off” as she feared. Rin opt to trust him.

After a dreamless sleep, Rin awoke to her alarm clock telling her that it was 9 AM. She was late for school, more than late even.

“I’ll just skip school for today.”

Taking a look at her Command Seals, Rin pondered on how she had not obtained a Saber, a tragedy made bearable by the fact that she had obtained Gilgamesh instead, a very powerful Servant. She was still aware that he was not very fond of her and if not for the Command Seal she had used, he might have “wandered off” and abandoned her to rot.

He could still do that, but Rin was more concerned with other Masters “seducing” him into their clutches. That would mean her doom, certainly.

As it turned out, Gilgamesh had not left the mansion. Rin, however, did not realize this when she first saw him.

She let out a loud shriek.

A man with golden hair was lounging on one of the living room couches, nursing a cup of wine and wearing a white shirt and leather jeans. She did not recognize him, not from his outfit or posture, but from his eyes.

Piercing red eyes that judged her cruelly.

Rin was still flabbergasted as she stared at Gilgamesh, who looked nothing like the mighty King she had spoken to last night. He looked surprisingly normal in this casual getup. It was unnerving.

Only by the force of Gilgamesh’s irritation sent through his glare did Rin gather herself back up and greeted him politely. He was not moved.

Rin then spent the next ten minutes informing Gilgamesh that she wanted to explore the town with him. Gilgamesh snorted. His expression told her that he was every bit disinterested in exploring as he was bowing to a stranger, and that was saying something.

Rin tried to convince him, and likely due to the effects of the Command Seal Gilgamesh eventually gave in. Rin swore she heard him groan at her triumph look but did not care, she marched off to get ready.

By the time Rin had showered and eaten breakfast, Gilgamesh was still lounging on the couch like a feline. At her annoyed glare, Gilgamesh switched back into his golden armor in a flash of sparkly light and fixed his hair to make it stand up again. He grinned due to Rin’s gawking, which she immediately stopped.

The young mage did wonder which hair style suited her Servant but kept the thoughts to herself.

* * *

Rin toured Fuyuki City while Gilgamesh tagged along, invisible and oozing indifference. Rin stopped explaining the various places when Gilgamesh’s mood did not improve one bit. His commentary made it excruciatingly clear just how much he disregarded other people, with Rin being the sole exception.

She wanted to argue that there had to be people in her era worthy of his approval but Gilgamesh kept quiet. The silence hinted that there was someone he approved of but he wouldn’t say.

Rin agreed not to pester him about it if he calmed down on the negative feedback. He did.

The pair eventually made it to the top of a building. Artificial lights brightened the city and gave what Rin saw as a perfectly good view while darkness concealed her from unwanted eyes.

Gilgamesh materialized nearby.

“What do you think? Doesn’t this place have a great view of the city?”

Gilgamesh frowned.

“Why did we not come here to begin with?”

He sounded genuinely confused. Rin smiled.

“You can’t get a feel for how a city is laid out unless you go places in person,” Although Rin suspected their trip only gave Gilgamesh a list of reasons to hate Fuyuki City. For such an ancient king who once ruled a proud and majestic city, Fuyuki City was probably a dumping ground by comparison.

Which explained why she couldn’t really convince him to enjoy it.

“All you get from up here is a panoramic view of the city,” Rin added.

Gilgamesh sighed dismissively, “Nonsense.” Rin glared at him over her shoulder. “A city like this is easy to read. If you had informed me of your plan sooner, I could have established all corners of this place easily.”

Gilgamesh sounded like he had just been forced to do a slave’s job by wandering around for hours.

Rin doubted Gilgamesh could actually understand the layout of this city all by himself before nightfall, but she wasn’t going to spoil his mood any further. She gazed down at one of the roads and eventually noticed a familiar person.

She walked away from the edge silently.

It was not wise to bring up one of her friends like it mattered to Gilgamesh. He seemed to be the kind to use his time wisely or according to his own will. If he lacked the latter, Rin needed to provide him the former.

They sat in silence, Gilgamesh seemingly at peace as the wind gently ruffled his hair and red cape, which peeked out from under his armor and hung around his legs. He looked pensive for a moment.

“Rin, what is your wish?”

Rin was momentarily taken aback, even more so by the intense look in Gilgamesh’s eyes. He was judging her, waiting to see if she failed this test of value. Rin didn’t know what to say besides the truth and so the truth she gave.

“I have none.”

Gilgamesh was shocked, eyes wide and body tense, but it lasted for only a brief moment.

“Then I assume you desire the Grail for its power, like any other mage.”

He sounded displeased but barely, like he was trying to conceal it. He had turned away from her, his red eyes gazing into the distance but his mind was elsewhere. Whatever made Gilgamesh come to that conclusion made his frown harden.

Rin, on the other hand, was confused. It appeared Gilgamesh did not understand her intentions at all.

“I just want to win, that’s all.”

Gilgamesh’s hard look dissipated and he turned back to her in shock. Rin didn’t understand what was so surprising about that.

It took a moment or so for Gilgamesh to reply.

“You have no desire for the Grail’s power or a wish to make,” He said, more to himself than to Rin. “you only wish to reach the finale of this war as its victor?”

Rin nodded confidently.

“Of course. For generations, winning the Grail has been the Tohsaka dream, and I intend to fulfill it.”

Rin’s words struck Gilgamesh hard. He did not anticipate her response in the slightest but he did not appear to object to it either. A frown was the first reaction Rin received, followed by silence, then...

Gilgamesh burst out laughing.

“Very interesting! And here I thought you were a typical, selfish mage eager to risk everything for the Grail’s power. I was wrong,” He sounded proud, almost. “My Master is a fascinating person, maybe I should treat her with far more respect than usual.”

It took a moment for the words to sink in, then Rin beamed at her Servant.

“Of course you should!”

Her confidence made Gilgamesh smile wider.

**Author's Note:**

> I have no real plans for this. I just wanted to try writing out this scene and see what the fans thought of it. Feel free to give your opinion.


End file.
